Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.9. The MSI Control Center.
Security Menu
Most BIOSs include two passwords for security, called the
supervisor
and
user passwords
. These
passwords help control who is allowed to access the BIOS Setup program and who is allowed to
boot the computer. The supervisor password is also called a
setup password
because it controls
access to the setup program. The user password is also called a
system password
because it controls
access to the entire system.
If a supervisor password is set, a password prompt is displayed when an attempt is made to enter the
BIOS Setup menus. When entered correctly, the supervisor password gives unrestricted access to
view and change all the Setup options in the Setup program. If the supervisor password is not entered
or is entered incorrectly, access to view and change Setup options in the Setup program is restricted.
If the user password is set, the password prompt is displayed before the computer boots up. The
password must be entered correctly before the system is allowed to boot. Note that if only the
supervisor password is set, the computer boots without asking for a password because the supervisor
password controls access only to the BIOS Setup menus. If both passwords are set, the password
prompt is displayed at boot time, and either the user or the supervisor password can be entered to
boot the computer. In most systems, the password can be up to seven or eight characters long.
If you forget the password, most systems have a jumper on the board that allows all passwords to be
cleared. This means that for most systems, the password security also requires that the system case be
locked to prevent users from opening the cover and accessing the password-clear jumper. This
jumper is often not labeled on the board for security reasons, but you can find it in the motherboard or
system documentation.
Provided you know the password and can get into the BIOS Setup, a password can also be cleared by
entering the BIOS Setup and selecting the Clear Password function. If no Clear function is available,
you can still clear the password by selecting the Set Password function and pressing Enter (for no
